Occupant-propelled vehicle



1. P. METZLER. OCCUPANT P ROPELLED VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, I919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

51110044 foz J. P. METZLER.

\ OCCUPANT PROPELLED VEHICLE.

v APPLICATION FILED APR. 24-, 1919. I I 1,348,888, Patented Aug. 10, 1920. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB P. METZLER, OE GENEVA, NEW YORK.

OCCUPANT-PRDPELLED VEHICLE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB P. Mn'rznnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Occupant- Propelled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to occupant propelled vehicles, more particularly foot propelled vehicles-for children, and consists in the combinations and arrangements of elements hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the accompanying claims.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an occupant propelled vehicle of this type which is of simple construction and easy to operate, and one which will not require any special skill on the part of the operator.

A further purpose of the invention is to construct a foot propelled vehicle wherein the construction and arrangement of operating and controlling parts are disposed in the manner that will properly distribute the weight of the operator to the best advantage for propelling and steering the vehicle.

The car is designed with special reference to the manufacturers requirements and vparents approval in a vehicle of this type; to wit, economical and easy to manufacture and which willsuggest itself as a proper medium for the healthful and mental development of children.

The invent-ion is disclosed by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the car.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of a modified structure of car, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the car shown in Flg. 3.

Referring to the construction in further detail and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the different figures shown, the car consists of a frame structure 5 of appropriate bar metal which is in one continuous piece and shaped with a converging portion 6 at the front and having downwardly and rearwardly inclined portions 7, as shown. A pair of tractor wheels 8 is mounted on the axle 9 journaled in the frame portions 7 and a single steering wheel 10 is journaled in the fork 11. A steering shaft 12 is journaled Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

Application filed April 24, 1919. Serial No. 292,426.

in the steering head 14 at the front end of the body or frame and is provided with a steering wheel 13, as shown. 7

The means for manually propelling the car consists of a pair of treadles 15 fulcrumed within the frame on the shaft '16, and said treadles have crank arm connections with the crank shaft 17 that is journaled in the two depending brackets 18 suitably secured to the frame structure 5, and a pitman 19 connects said crank shaft 17 with the crank portion 20 of the axle 9 for operating the tractor wheels 8 as will be understood.

A seat or other supporting surface 21 is mounted on the forward portion of the frame 6 and immediately adjacent the steering control, and said supporting surface may appropriately be used for carrying a second person on the car or for conveying any reasonable burden that could be conveniently placed thereon.

The entire arrangement of the car body and the disposal thereon of all working or controlling parts are such that the operator may assume a natural position for riding and workmg the treadles to propel the vehicle, and a further purpose of said arrangement is that the entire weight of the operator is disposed in a manner most conducive to the easy travel and steering of the car.

The construction and arrangement of the type of car shown in Figs. 3 and 1 are in principle the same as that described above, though in this instance a single treadle or propelling medium 22 is employed instead of two side by side treadles as in the former instance. Vith the present arrangement the operating board or treadle 22 is fulcrumed on the shaft 23 approximately midway of its length obviously requiring the operator to work with one foot in advance of the other.

The treadle 22 is connected by a crank rod connection 24: with the crank arm 20 of the tractor wheels 8 after the manner of that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in this type of car also the general structure and arrangement of working parts are designed to LCCOIHPliSll the results above enumerate In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it is contemplated to provide a seat for another passenger, or it may be used by the rider of the car when resting or coasting.

A suitable arrangement for this purpose consists of the seat 25 mounted on the spring support (26, 27) and having'the two racing arms28.

It is obvious that those skilled in the may vary the details of construction and arrangement I of parts -without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by tensions providing journal bearings, and i the front portion of the strip providing a steering head, tractor wheelsjournaled in said journal bearings, -a steering wheel mounted in the steering head, and a treadle journaled in said side portions and located substantially in the plane of the body portions ofthe frame for propelling the car "through the Weight of the occupant thereon.

2. An occupant propelled oar comprising a frame formed of avsingle bar strip havlng converging portlons at the front meeting at a point and providing a steering head and having relatively widely separated side portions extending rearwardly and down behind the steering head, treadles fulerumed 1n the frame near the rear portion thereof, said treadles lyingnormally substantially withinthe plane of the frame and said seat, and driving connections between the treadleand the tractor wheels.

- An occupantpropelled car comprising a frame constructed from a single bar strip 7 having converging front portions providing a steering head, and downwardly disposed rear portionsproviding journal bearings; a steering wheel mounted in the steering head, an axle journaled in said bearings, tractor wheels mounted on said axle, apair of depending brackets mounted on'the side portions of the frame, acran'kshaft journaled in said brackets, a shaft mounted in the frame to, the rear of said brackets, a pair of .treadles 'journaled on said shaft, adaptedto alternately bear the weight of the occupant thereon, arms connecting the crankshaftavith said treadles respectively, and a pitman connecting the crankshaftwith the tractor wheel axle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. JACOB P. METZLER. 

